Baseball Glossary › Shutout
Shutout (SHO)
A shutout (SHO) is credited to a pitcher who pitches the entire game and allows no runs. Because he recorded every out and gave up nothing, his team must have won, so a shutout always comes with a win. If several pitchers combine to blank the opponent, the team gets a shutout but no individual pitcher does.
What to Know
A shutout is the top tier of a start: every out, no runs. It is a complete game with zero runs, while a quality start only needs six innings and three or fewer earned runs.
Official Baseball Rule 9.18, quoted in MLB's glossary, allows one rare exception: a reliever who enters with nobody out in the first inning before the opponent has scored, ends that inning without a run and pitches the rest of the game scoreless. That is the only way to get a shutout without a complete game.
Nine scoreless innings are not enough if the game goes to extra innings and the pitcher leaves. Because unearned runs still break a shutout, it is a stricter test than ERA; see runs allowed.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a shutout in baseball?
A shutout is a game in which a pitcher pitches the entire game and the opposing team does not score. The pitcher is credited with a shutout and, automatically, a win.
What is the difference between a shutout and a team shutout?
An individual shutout requires one pitcher to throw the whole game. If two or more pitchers combine to hold the opponent scoreless, the team is credited with a shutout but no single pitcher gets one.
Does an unearned run ruin a shutout?
Yes. A shutout means the opponent scored zero runs. Any run, earned or unearned, ends the shutout, even though an unearned run would not raise the pitcher's ERA.
Can a relief pitcher throw a shutout?
Only in a rare case. Under Rule 9.18, a reliever who enters with nobody out in the first inning before any run scores, gets out of the inning and finishes the game without allowing a run is credited with a shutout.
If a pitcher throws nine scoreless innings, is it a shutout?
Not if the game goes to extra innings and he is replaced. He must stay in for every out of the game, so nine scoreless innings followed by an exit do not count.
What does SHO mean in baseball stats?
SHO stands for shutout. In a pitcher's stat line it counts the complete games in which he allowed no runs.
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Sources
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